Insect Collecting Tips
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Places to look for insects
- Look everywhere you can find lots of insects by just looking all around your area.
- Under stones and boards best in early spring and summer.
- Decaying logs beetles and other interesting insects can be found here.
- Shelf fungi and mushrooms beetles are also found here and most of the time, fly larvae.
- Dry leaves shift these leaves to find smaller insects.
- The air on warm days, lots of things will be buzzing around!
- Night time at night traps can be laid.
- A porch light many insects are attracted to light.
- Wood piles best in spring and early summer. Beetles can be found here.
- Beating umbrella turn an umbrella upside down and place under a bush. Then beat the leaves (but not to damage them) to make the hidden insects fall out.
- Pupae these can be collected during winter months.
- Sweep using a sweeping net, sweep vegetations both day and night.
- Flowers examine these for some hidden insects as well as nectar feeders.
- Damaged leaves look for both adult insects and larvae there.
- Animal waste this attracts beetles and some species of butterflies.
- Decaying fruits are also good places to look.
- Water or stream using your water net, sweep the streams' bottoms.
- Plants that has aphids and similar insects there are lots of predatory insects that would feed on these.
- Fresh tree sap where a tree had just been cut, there are lots of interesting species.
- Willow flowers These attract many bees and flies.
- Cars insects are often trapped in cars.
- Raising insects collect larvae and raise them.
Watch for insects that comes to puddles to get a drink.
A large white cloth can be spreaded under a tree or bush and then beat on the leaves. Careful not to damage the trees or bush.
Dig under the ground for insect pupae and larvae.
Let the water of a shallow stream flow through a water net to collect.
Sugaring this is used for moths at night. A bait such as molasses, rotten fruit juices, or something sweet can be applied to a tree. In an hour or so, come back and check your trap.
Light trap Spread a large piece of white cloth and shine a light on it. Come back and check frequenty.
Tub place a tub of water under a light. Collect the insects that had fallen in it in the morning.
Twigs tie bunches of twigs together and hang on the sides of trees. Examine these for wood borers.
Dead animals look for beetles there. You can also cover it with a board to make a shelter for the insects and come back to check your trap.
Sweets such as molasses can be applied to boards and left overnight. some beetles have a sweet tooth.
Bury jars jars can be burried at ground level with a dead mouse suspended.
Raising Larvae
Raising larvae can be a very interesting hobby. This is the best way to learn about the insects and their metamorphosis. In butterflies and moths, this is the best way to get a specimen that is is very good condition.
The easiest to raise are butterfly and moth larvae, then beetles.
You don't need much to raise your own larvae, just some larvae or eggs, food plants (or insects for some beetles) and a little time and space. Space is not a big problem,
a container about six inches by six inches will give you enough space to raise some caterpillars.
These don't really need much care other than that you provide them with plenty of fresh leaves daily and clean out thier box.
Ususally, the plant on which you found the caterpillars on is the food plant that the caterpillars eat. If you don't have or can't find anymore of this particular plant,
experiment to see what your caterpillars like.
For beetles, you will have to see where your larvae is found and then the same procedure can be applied here as the caterpillars. Some eat wood,
but some that live in wood eat other insects. You will have to do some research to find out what they eat.
After a few weeks to a few years, depends on what you are raising, (caterpillars don't usually take too long, but some beetles can take years to mature)
you will have the chance to witness the most magnificent transformation in the insect world.
All of your hard work will be paid off at this moment.
These are the few suggestions that I can give you. I hope that you enjoy collecting insects and raising the larvae. There are so much to explore in the natural world. I hope that this will spark your interest in working with these very interesting little creatures.
If there are any questions, you can send me an IM (Xerantheum) or Email me.
Page Updated September 27, 2002
Created by Nhu Nguyen. All rights reserved.
